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RESURGAM 



RESURGAM 



BY 



JOHN ELLIOT 



NEW YORK 

JOHN LANE COMPANY 

MCMVIII 



[library of OONa^ieSS] 
Two Copies R«c«ived | 

DEC 20 iSlof 

r-^ Copyrifbi tiury 



Copyrighty igo^ 
By John Lane Company 






THE UNIVERSITY PRBSS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A, 



RESURGAM 



RESU R G A M 

OUT from the glow of a summer's 
day, 
Throbbing with Hfe, and warmth, and light, 
Into the shadows cold and grey ; 
Out from the sunshine — into the Night. 

Hushed the laughter, that once came free 
From a heart that loved, and was brave, and 

strong ; 
Ashes the glory of field and tree ; 
Silent the robin's nesting song. 



a RESURGAM 

Just one life — and a living Death; 

One boon asked — and the answer " Nay "! 

Just one soul, for the eager breath 

Of fire to scorch — and blast — and slay. 

Day by day have the vultures torn 
At a naked heart — on a wound still raw ; 
Day by day have the strings, so worn, 
Responsive quivered to beak and claw. 

Night by night have the Phantoms come 
Of Love long lost, and of Days long dead, 
And mocked at Sleep — while the Spirit, 

dumb 
And writhing, has shivered — and burned — 

and bled. 



RESURGAM 

Hidden the sun that shone so bright ; 
Buried the hopes of long ago, 
In a barren land of eternal Night, 
Under a thousand years of snow. 

Over the past, with hopeless eyes, 
Madness, jealously watching, broods. 
Blotting the future, the starless skies 
Blacken a waste of solitudes. 

No tomorrow — the days have met 
On a sunless, pathless, endless way. 
Ah ! if I could forget — forget 
God ! if there were no yesterday. 



4 RESURGAM 

Peace at last — for the game is lost, 
And the fragrant blossoms are choked with 

weeds. 
Peace — and all that I was the cost, 
But an empty heart no longer bleeds. 

Peace ! for now is the door fast locked 
On a sullen Soul, whose wings are furled. 
Peace ! for the eyes can look unshocked, 
Unawed, unmoved on a ruined world. 

Peace ! for a stringless harp has peace ; 
And a songless bird; and a lump of clay — 
The calm that comes when the senses cease 
To fear the Night — or to welcome Day. 



RESURGAM 5 

From an empty sea, to an empty shore — 
Numb, and helpless — a thing apart — 
Cast, but a derelict evermore — 
What has the World for a broken heart ? 

How can It guess that Pride conceals 
Seared, red wounds, where the iron ran ? 
Shut are the doors where the Spirit kneels, 
Hiding its face from sun, and man. 

How can It heal the hidden sore, 

That shrinks from the touch of the gentlest 

hand ? 
How can It fill a void once more, 
That It knows not of — nor could un- 
derstand ? 



6 RESURGAM 

The World cares nothing. Why should It 

mourn ? 
Mine is the night — // loves the sun. 
A wounded thing is a thing of scorn. 
A shadowed life is a life to shun. 

And the heart that is careless, and warm, 

and light — 
What can it know of the heart of stone ? 
Or the path — out somewhere in the Night — 
That 's trod forever alone — alone ? 

Ah ! for one hour, to breathe in deep 

All joy, and laughter, and Love's sweet 

breath. 
Just one hour of Life — then sleep. 
Ah ! for one other hope than Death. 



RESURGAM 7 

riUSH! for Silence has spoken. Low, 
But clear comes a Voice through the still- 
ness. Hark ! 
" What do you do in this desert ? Go ! 
" Open your eyes, and pierce the dark. 

" Waken your Soul. It cannot die. 
" Loosen the cords yoti knotted. Fool ! 
" When It yet might soar would you let It 

lie, 
" Like a rotting log, in a stagnant pool ? 

*' Turn from self. Are you all alone ? 
" Look on the throng that has felt the fire, 
" And yet tills bravely the seed, that 's sown 
*' Without one hope of the ' World s Desire.' 



8 RESURGAM 

" See how the others — too weak to bear 
"The burden — fall in the hopeless land. 
" You, who have known that load of care, 
"Surely can help — and understand. 

"Stretch your hand to a kindred touch. 
" * Maimed and broken ? ' — but so are you. 
" He, who has suffered overmuch, 
" Must do the work that is left to do. 

" Fill your heart with the World's stern 

work; 
" Lose your woe in the World's great woe: 
" Blame not others, htc^iVL^Q you shirk — 
" You, who are needed because you Know, 



RESURGAM 9 

" Shut your lips to the bitter drink. 
" Shut your heart to the poisoned fare. 
" Is Man a beast — and afraid to think ? 
" Is Man a brute — and ashamed to care ? 

" Those who labour, and ask no pay, 

" Who hold the torch, though their eyes are 

blind, — 
" And walk with Grief on the darkened way, 
" Knowing Despair one step behind ; 

" Who stand erect, and with head held high, 
" Unbowed by sorrow ; too strong to fall ; 
"Too proud to murmur; too brave to die: 
" They are the Men among them all ; 



lo RESURGAM 

" Who hold for others Love's brimming cup, 
" With never a drop to quench their thirst; 
*' They are the leaven, that raises up 
"The World to God from the depths 
accursed. 

" Struggle onward, and match their worth ; 
" Pour your blood on the thirsty seed ; 
*' Till, with Anguish, the barren earth ; 
" Live your life like a Man indeed. 

" Depths unsounded your feet may tread ; 
" Heights unguessed are before your eyes; 
" Waken the Soul you thought was dead ; 
"Watch for the sun that yet may rise." 



RESURGAM ii 

Look ! for the clouds are breaking. See ! 
For a star winked out of the murky sky. 
And the Earth is clad in the Mystery 
That It used to wear, when the Dawn was 
nigh. 

Look ! for they go — the ghostly years. 
Look ! for it ends — the endless night. 
Look ! for my eyes are blind with tears. 
Ah ! God bless it! the light! the light! 

Up ! and onward, with bleeding feet. 

From the noisome depths where the 

Shadows dwell. 

Up ! though the wings of the Furies beat 

Round the awful court of Earthly Hell. 
UOfC 



12 RESURGAM 

Up ! glad Soul, though with broken wings, 
Struggle, brave Heart, though you be but 

clay: 
'T is Hope, that yonder her banner flings. 
With lavish hand, to the light of Day. 

Night still lies on the stony road ; 
Grief stands, mocking each step I take ; 
Care still clings, with its heavy load ; 
But my eyes have seen, and my heart's 
awake. 

And the icy fetters no longer bind ; 
And the life-blood pulses warm and fast ; 
For the hopeless darkness is left behind ; 
And the glowing peak is reached — at last. 



RESURGAM 13 

Flaming dawn in the Eastern sky, 
Clouds unrolled from a v/aking Earth, 
The sun leaps up, and the shadows fly, 
And the Day of Days has had its birth. 

Field and forest, and vale and hill, 
Waters that gleam, and dance, and fall ; 
Mist-wreaths, crowning the mountain still; 
And the golden sunlight over all. 

Color surges across the trees. 

Listen ! I heard a bluebird sing. 

The air awakes to the hum of bees, 

And — over the meadows walks the Spring. 

About her head and her dew-brushed hair 
A very halo of butterflies ; 



14 RESURGAM 

Her path a rainbow, for everywhere 
The flowers fill it ; but — Ah ! her eyes. 

Eyes that have felt the bitter woe 
Of Winter's grasp on a dying Earth ; 
Of hopes long buried beneath the snow ; 
Of life unlived ; of the pangs of birth. 

Eyes that have looked on Night with dread; 
Eyes that have known all Joys that bless ; 
Eyes all misty with tears unshed ; 
Eyes all sunny with happiness ; 

Wells of tenderness deep and pure; 

Of pity for every helpless thing; 

Wells of hope, and of promise sure 

For a perfect summer — the eyes of Spring. 



RESURGAM 15 

Open your petals, daisies white, 

And yellow buttercups — open wide. 

And look on the face of the " World's 

Delight," 
Bathing her feet in your glowing tide. 

Open your veins, ye apple trees. 
To sap that throbs for your bridal day, 
Dawning in beauty, and freight each breeze 
Deep with the fragrance of sweet-breath'd 
May. 

Open your throat, each happy bird, 
And sing to your mate on her hidden nest, 
'Til Earth, and Heaven, and God have heard 
That the world is good, and the heart 's at 
rest. 



i6 RESURGAM 

Open your heart, each living thing, 
To Spring, who kisses your lips — and mine. 
For Death and Darkness have taken wing, 
But Joy 's immortal, and Love 's divine. 

Peace, and rest on the tender grass; 
Deep, sweet breaths of a purer air; 
Shadows, only where swallows pass ; 
Fragrance and melody everywhere : 

Meadows of green, and white, and gold; 
Bobolinks swinging on grasses long; 
Happiness, more than the heart can hold, 
Blossoming out into love and song: 

Woods that answer the Sun's warm kiss ; 
Orchards, buried in drifts of flowers ; 



RESURGAM 17 

A day more perfect to follow this ; 
A leaf's unfolding to mark the hours. 

Yonder the clouds, that once were dark, 
Are blushing pink in the morning glow, 
And, high above them, a singing lark, 
Like Hope, is calling to all below. 

For Hope 's awake, and the heart is warm. 
And the grass is green on the sunny way. 
Out of the cold, and dark, and storm — 
Thanks to the God who gave — Today. 

Today — tomorrow — a chain of gold : 
Even the past again is fair, 
For the seed has yielded a thousandfold, 
And the desert blossoms everywhere. 



i8 RESURGAM 

Coolest the water to those who thirst, 
Parched, and spent on the dusty plain ; 
Freedom the sweetest, where bonds are burst; 
Brightest the sunshine, after rain ; 

Fairest the faces of Joy and Love, 

To him who has looked on the face of Woe ; 

Bluest the depths of the vault above. 

To him who has walked in the depths below. 

For the uttermost glory Love's self conceals, 
Except from the eyes washed clean by tears. 
And the beauty, that nothing but grief 

reveals. 
Is Yesterday's pledge to the coming years. 



RESURGAM 19 

Out from the Night — to a perfect Day, 
With sun-kissed air, like a sparkling wine, 
With Love beside me to show the way — 
And the "World's Desire " is mine — is mine. 

Love at my side — All Gladness lies 
Safe in the clasp of her firm, warm hand ; 
And all that I want is in her eyes, 
Eyes of the Spring — that understand. 

All that my youth had hoped to know ; 
All that my manhood never knew ; 
Here — in the sunshine s golden glow — 
Here — in the Springtime — mine — and 
true. 



20 RESURGAM 

Under the leaves a wood-thrush greets 
His nesting mate, and the notes are borne 
Over the fields of a thousand sweets, 
On a breeze still heavy with dews of morn. 

Notes like the voice of a brook, that falls 
From deep, cool moss on a silver bell. 
And, high in the tree, a robin calls 
" Peace to the earth, for all is well." 

Peace to the earth, and all is well ; 

For the heart knows all that the birds would 

sing ; 
For Love has broken the bonds of Hell, 
And — over the meadows walks the Spring. 



DFC ^0 m7 



